$8 Million for Biomedical Research at JAX Lab Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $8,000,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“The Jackson Laboratory is at the forefront of biomedical research, leading the charge in the development of new therapies for rare diseases,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would help to improve and expand research capabilities at JAX, which brings hope to patients with rare diseases. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Senator Collins for her support of this funding request and for sharing our vision for changing the lives of patients and families impacted by rare diseases,” said President and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory Dr. Lon Cardon. “The establishment of The Jackson Laboratory’s Rare Disease Translational Center will help provide these patients with an efficient path from diagnosis to therapy and enable them to lead fuller, healthier lives than was previously possible.”
Funding for this project would support construction of a modern two-floor facility dedicated to rare disease research at JAX. JAX’s Rare Disease Translational Center (RDTC) is a growing program that has been highly successful in conducting rare-disease research and developing new therapies.
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY24 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate. Committee consideration of legislation is a key part of regular order, which helps our government function efficiently and deliver results for the people of Maine and America.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $500 million for hundreds of Maine projects for FY2022 and FY2023. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
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